1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adjustable footrest especially suitable for installation in the driver's compartment of a vehicle.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Footrests for use by drivers of vehicles, such as truck drivers, are well known, as shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,898,640; 2,651,944; 1,637,588; 2,507,807; 3,784,247; 4,010,975; and 3,047,088. Such prior known footrests are designed to enable the vehicle driver to rest his left foot away from the clutch pedal, or his right foot away from the accelerator pedal, to help prevent driver fatigue and, in the case of the clutch pedal, clutch wear. However, as will be apparent from the foregoing patents, most of the prior vehicle footrests are not readily adjustable to different height positions to enable the driver to change foot positions during the course of a long journey. Such fixed-position footrests tend to cause cramping and tiring during long journeys during which the driver's legs and feet must endure long periods of inactivity in one position.
Consequently, it would be desirable to have a footrest which could readily be adjusted to different heights during vehicle travel, preferably without stopping the vehicle to make the adjustment.
Although the footrest in aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 1,898,640 is adjustable along a vehicle's steering column, it would be necessary to stop the vehicle, loosen the threaded nuts on the footrest support with a wrench, slide the footrest along the column to a new position and retighten the nuts with the wrench, before continuing travel. Because of the time and trouble that would be required to reset the height position of such footrest, such adjustment would be unlikely to occur. Furthermore, such footrest is not adaptable for use on the passenger side of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,774,555 discloses a vertically adjustable footrest, particularly designed as part of a seat or stool for use by engineers and firemen in the cabs of railroad locomotives. However, such footrest requires a specially designed seat which would not be readily adaptable to an automobile or truck, and furthermore would also require a time-consuming assembly and disassembly of the footrest support mechanism to obtain the desired readjustment of the footrest height.
Most known vehicle footrests are also adapted only for installation on the driver side of the driver's compartment of a vehicle. However, it is also desirable in many instances to have a footrest on the passenger side to discourage the passenger from resting his feet on the dashboard of the vehicle.
Accordingly, there is a need for a footrest which is easily adjustable to different height positions above the floorboard in the driver's compartment of the vehicle, preferably while the vehicle is in motion, or at least in a minimum amount of time while the vehicle is stopped, and without the use of tools. There is also a need for a footrest as described which could be adapted for use on either the driver's side or the passenger's side of the driver's compartment of a vehicle.